Carrying case



A. A THOMAS. CARRYING CASE. APPLICATION nuzn SEPT- 22. 1921.

I ,416,'139, Patentgd May 16, 1922.

ADELBERT A. THOMAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO CHICAGO CASE MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. A CORPORATION 035 ILLINOIS CARRYING CASE.

Application filed September 22, 1921.

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, Annnnnn'r A. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carrying Cases, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex act description.

The invention relates to carrying cases and more particularly to that type which are provided with a series of superposed link connected trays adapted to be shifted into stepped arrangement to display their contents.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction in which the connecting links between the trays do not overlap; and in which the trays have secured thereto a plurality of reinforcing bars to render them rigid and to provide for convenient connecting means for the links.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a case embodying the invention, the enclosing case being open and some of the trays being shown intheir extended positions. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective of an end portion of one of the trays.

The invention is exemplified in a structure comprising a base 3 having a compartment therein, and sections 4- and 5 which are pivoted to the base-section at 6 and 7 respectively and are adapted to form, with the base, a suitable enclosing case, as well understood in the art.

Two series of superposed trays 8 are disposed side by side in the case. The lowermost section of each pair is connected to the base of the enclosing case by a pair of parallel links 9 which have their lower ends pivoted, as at 10, to a bar 11, and their upper ends pivoted, as at 13, to a bar 14 on the lower portion of one end of the tray 8. Bars 11 are secured to the base 3 by rivets 12 and the bars 14? are secured to the tray 8 by rivets 15. A bar 16 is secured to the upper portion of each end of the tray 8 by rivets 17 and links 18 for the next tray of the series are pivoted to bar 16 at 19 and to the bar Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Serial 'No. 502,404.

11 adjacent the bottom of the next tray by pivots 13. Similar connections are used between the remaining contiguous trays of each series.

The link connections between adjacent trays permit relative movement between them so that one or more of them may be swung laterally to bring them out of vertical alignment and to display their contents, as well understood in the art.

A characteristic of the construction set forth is that the links between the contig uous trays do not overlap. Another characteristic is that a plurality of cross-bars 16 is secured to each end of the tray to reinforce them. One of the rivets 17 for the upper cross-bar 16 of each tray is disposed adjacent one corner of the tray and the other rivet is disposed between the link pivots 19, while one of the rivets 15 for the lower cross-bar 14; is disposed adjacent the other corner and the other rivet 15 of the bar 14 is disposed between the pivots 13 and, as a result, these rivets are offset laterally relatively to one another and the cross-bars thus secured to the end serve to efiiciently reinforce the tray-ends.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the trays in the enclosing case, and pairs of parallel links between contiguous trays having their lower ends pivoted to the ends of one tray adjacent the upper margin thereof and their upper ends pivoted to the ends of the contiguous tray adjacent its lower margin so that the links will not overlap one another.

2. In a carrying case, the combination of an enclosing case, a series of superposed trays in the enclosing case, upper and lower reinforcing bars secured to the ends of the. trays respectively and pairs of parallel links between contiguous trays having their ends pivoted to the upper bar of one tray and the lower bar of a contiguous tray, so that bar of one tray and the lower bar of the contiguous tray so the links will not overlap one another, and devices for securing the bars to the tray ends, the devices for seruring the upper and lower bars of each trav being; relatively ofl'set laterally.

ADELBERT A. THOMAS. 

